Iced Earth is set to begin the writing process of their 12th studio album in spring 2015. After a short hiatus, (primarily due to founder, chief songwriter, and guitarist Jon Schaffer’s 2nd cervical fusion surgery), the band is planning their schedule for the remainder of the year. Iced Earth fans can expect the next album, tentatively entitled "The Judas Goat", and the subsequent touring cycle to begin in early 2016.

Schaffer comments on his recovery and the direction of the new album, “The recovery after this surgery has been more difficult than the first time around in 2000. Although there have been a few setbacks, I am confident that I’m ready to resume my duties in Iced Earth, directing my full attention to the creative process, production, and touring future of the band.” Schaffer continues, “We are looking forward to songwriting and getting back in the studio. The creative direction of the new album is rife with intense and heavy emotions, as one would expect from an Iced Earth record, as well as a wide variety of lyrical inspirations and themes.” “I am 100% confident that the bond our band has forged in these last several years will shine through in the music. It’s a brotherhood in every way, and the fans will feel that. I couldn’t be more proud of these guys and everything we’ve achieved together.”

Long time drummer Brent Smedley will be returning to the band for the recording and touring of the next album cycle. Smedley had to step down due to personal family reasons in 2013 shortly before the recording of Plagues of Babylon. “We are very pleased to have Brent joining us once again; he’s always been a brother and an important part of the Iced Earth legacy,” says Schaffer.

Iced Earth is sure to please fans from all eras of the band’s illustrious history with this next offering of unadulterated heavy metal.

Iced Earth is in the process of setting up a new headquarters for all things concerning the band, including a new studio for future recordings. Jon Schaffer has decided to sell some guitars from his massive collection to help finance the new project. Schaffer states, “I’m selling a few guitars that have been on various recordings as well as some that were bought for my personal collection. We need to raise a large amount of money to complete the vision of our new headquarters, and begin this new chapter in the bands march to independence, to thrive in the ever-changing music business. There are some pretty killer guitars in the collection, so I urge die-hard fans, and guitar collectors alike, to go to Carter Vintage Guitars and see what’s there.”

Surprise everyone!! Iced Earth doesn’t follow the rules, they told us tomorrow, we said let's give it to the fans now!!Here is the new cover art for “Incorruptible” - OUT JUNE 16th WORLDWIDE !!Pre order info and various formats released here on Monday !!#IcedEarth #IncorruptibleArtwork by David Newman-Stump and Roy Young

ICED EARTH will release its new album, "Incorruptible", on June 16. The cover artwork for the disc (as well as additional illustrations to every song) was created by David Newman-Stump from Skeleton Crew Tattoo (pencil illustrations) and Roy Young (colors).

The 2LP version of "Incorruptible" is offered in the following vinyl colors:

* Black vinyl: unlimited and offered through all retail channels* Dark-green vinyl: limited to 200 copies, exclusively available in the U.K.* Yellow vinyl: limited to 200 copies, exclusively available in France* Clear vinyl: limited to 100 copies, exclusively available at Century Media's European online store* Lilac vinyl: limited to 200 copies, exclusively available at Nuclear Blast* Silver vinyl: limited to 200 copies, exclusively available at EMP* Transparent-red vinyl: limited to 500 copies, distributed through RED in the USA* White vinyl: limited to 300 copies, exclusively offered in the USA through F.Y.E.* Transparent-orange vinyl: limited to 200 copies, exclusively sold by ICED EARTH on tour

The artbook version of "Incorruptible" will be offered in the following vinyl colors:

* Transparent-red vinyl: main version, available through all retail channels* Clear vinyl: limited to 100 copies, exclusively available at Century Media's European online store* Golden vinyl: limited to 200 copies, available at various online stores* Black vinyl: limited to 200 copies, available at various online stores* Silver vinyl: limited to 200 copies, exclusively available at Nuclear Blast* Transparent-orange vinyl: limited to 200 copies, exclusively sold by ICED EARTH on tour

Regarding how "Incorruptible" compares to previous ICED EARTH albums, guitarist and main songwriter Jon Schaffer told Metal Wani: "They're all kind of their own thing, but I have a very strong gut feeling about this, and so does everybody in the band, that this is one of the really special ones. So I put it up there with 'The Dark Saga' [1996], 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' [1998], 'Dystopia' [2011] — it's in that league of records — so it's really gonna be something special, man. I know musicians always say that, but there is something going on here, so it's cool. We're all very excited about it."

On the topic of the concept for the lyrics on "Incorruptible", Schaffer said: "There is no concept on this record; it's just ten individual tracks not related to each other. Actually, on 'Plagues Of Babylon' [2014], it was only the first six that were related to the 'Something Wicked' story; it was like a zombie apocalypse within the 'Something Wicked' framework. But this album, it's just ten individual songs. We have one called 'Clear The Way', which is about the Irish Brigade at the Battle Of Fredericksburg — very tragic, actually — but that's a big epic, like ten minutes; and then we have one called 'Black Flag', which is a pirate song. It's quite a… I think I pulled it off pretty well with the lyrics, to be able to tell such a big story in a very short amount of time. I think it's gonna be a highlight of the record. And then on [the last European] tour, [we opened] the show with a new song that will be the opener on the album — it's called 'Great Heathen Army' — that's got a Viking kind of a vibe to it. So there's a lot of different things, and none of it's really related. There's one called 'Raven Wing'… I can't really think of all of them righ now… 'Seven Headed Whore' — that's one that's actually pretty brutal; it's like a total kick in the balls. But, you know, there's a lot of varied emotions on this, and it's cool stuff, man."

Asked about singer Stu Block's contribution to "Incorruptible", Schaffer said: "Well, he came at the end of… for about the last month or so of pre-production… maybe a little bit more… five weeks… and we worked on his vocal parts. We do it like Stu and I normally do it. Some of the stuff we write together. I mean, I write the musical arrangements and do all that — he doesn't play any instruments — but he comes in… At the end of the writing process is when we focus on his parts. And the lyrics that we worked on together, on a song called 'Brother', which is about our brotherhood, [between] Stu and I and within the band… We've gone through a lot of shit together and we've had a lot of great times together, but the bond is very strong, and that's clear. So it's just a song, really, for us. And then he wrote the lyrics for 'The Great Heathen Army'. I'm trying to think… I can't think of 'em, man; I have to look at the list [of songs]. But usually, he goes to an area and works, and I go in my area and work. And, like I said, on some songs we collaborate sometimes. On this one, the only we did was 'Brother'… We work in the way we always work. And it's a very cool chemistry."

"They're all kind of their own thing, but I have a very strong gut feeling about this, and so does everybody in the band, that this is one of the really special ones. So I put it up there with 'The Dark Saga' [1996], 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' [1998], 'Dystopia' [2011] — it's in that league of records — so it's really gonna be something special, man. I know musicians always say that, but there is something going on here, so it's cool. We're all very excited about it."